THE 
BAHAI  MOVEMENT 


C.  M.  R. 


BP375 
.R3BI6 


l.)1.!^, 


PRINCETON,  N.J. 


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Presented  by"BaVic7\\cS'\br(?^ra  Commi'V+ee 


Dh'ision 


Section 


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THE  BAHAI 
MOVEMENT 


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The   Baha!   Movement 


FOR    UNIVERSAL    RELIGION 
BROTHERHOOD 


A  Sketch   of  its   History  and  Teaching 


CHARLES     MASON     REMEY 


PUBLISHED      BY     THE 

Persian    American   Bulletin 

Washington  ,    D.    C. 

March.  1912 


FOREWORD. 

As  Abdul-Baha,  the  leader  of  the  Bahai  Movement, 
has  expressed  his  intention  of  visiting  America  in  the 
near  future,  it  has  seemed  advisable  to  publish  this 
resume  of  the  history  and  teaching  of  the  movement 
in  order  that  those  who  desire  knowledge  upon  the 
subject  may  find  it  in  a  brief  and  concise  form. 


ABDUL   BAH  A 


THE    BAHAI    MOVEMENT. 

Object. 

The  object  of  the  Bahai  Movement  is  the  establish- 
ment of  the  universal  religion  which  will  be  the 
foundation  of  inter-religious,  inter-racial  and  inter- 
national brotherhood  and  peace.  It  offers  to  man- 
kind a  practical  basis  of  unity,  one  which  is  in  direct 
line  with  the  great  world  needs  of  this  age.  It  is 
paving  the  way  for  the  great  universal  civilization 
which  will  evolve  as  people  of  all  religions,  races  and 
nations  unite  both  s])iritually  and  materially  into  one 
world  people. 

The   Bab. 

This  movement  began  in  Persia  almost  seventy 
years  ago  (1844).  with  the  I'ise  of  a  teacher  known  as 
The  Bab.  who  proclaimed  the  coming  of  a  greater 
teacher  whose  mission  would  be  that  of  establishing 
the  universal  Religion,  the  Brotherhood  of  Man  and 
universal  Peace.  The  Bab  was  but  the  forerunner 
of  this  greater  teacher  who  was  to  come,  and  to  this 
promised  one  and  to  his  cause  The  Bab  and  thousands 
of  his  followers  testified  by  suffering  and  martyrdom 
inflicted  upon  them  by  the  Moslems  upon  the  charge 
of  heresy. 

Baha'o'llah. 

Shortly  after  the  martyrdom  of  The  Bab  the  great 
teacher  who  was  promised  appeared  in  the  person  of 
Baha'o'llah.  from  whom  the  movement  now  takes  its 
name.  His  mission  lasted  forty  years,  during  which 
time  he  was  subjected  to  all  manner  of  imprisonment 
and  suffering  at  the  hands  of  Oriental  despots  be- 
cause of  his  teaching  which  brought  freedom  of 
thought  and  enlightenment  to  all  people  who  heard 
it.  Baha'o'llah  was  sent  in  exile  and  a  prisoner  from 
one  Moslem  country  to  another  until  he  finally  was 
lodged  in  the  Turkish  penal  colony  of  Akka  in  Syria 
where,  after  having  given  his  great  teaching  to 
humanity,  he  passed  naturally  from  this  world  in  the 
vear  1892. 


•Abdul-Baha. 

Abdul-Baha,  the  son  of  Baha'o'llah,  was  the  one 
chosen  by  his  father  to  further  establish  this  great 
movement  and  to  explain  and  demonstrate  it  before 
the  Avorld. 

He  was  constantly  at  his  father's  side  during  the 
exile  and  imprisonment  of  the  latter,  and  was  in 
every  way  Baha'o'llah's  chief  disciple.  For  forty 
years  Abdul-Baha  was  a  prisoner  in  the  fortress  of 
Akka — held  there  by  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  for  no 
other  reason  than  that  his  teaching  was  bringing 
enlightenment  and  freedom  of  thought  to  all  who 
came  within  the  radius  of  its  power.  With  the  fall  of 
the  old  despotic  regime  of  Turkish  government  and 
the  establishment  of  the  present  constitutional  rule, 
which  occurred  in  the  summer  of  1908,  he  was  liber- 
ated from  prison,  and  now  is  free  to  come  and  go 
as  he  wills.  During  the  past  summer  and  fall  (1911) 
he  visited  England  and  France,  where  he  spent  some 
months  in  teaching;  and  now  he  is  expected  shortly 
in  America,  where  he  has  many  friends  who  will  wel- 
come him. 

Abdul-Baha  wishes  to  be  known  as  the  servant  of 
humanity.  He  seeks  no  higher  station  than  this,  yet 
when  one  understands  all  that  this  means  one 
realizes  the  combination  of  humility  and  exaltation 
which  it  implies. 

He  has  a  wonderful  personality.  He  has  the 
power  of  really  penetrating  the  souls  of  men,  of 
understanding  the  needs  of  each  individual  soul,  and 
of  ministering  to  them  in  the  most  beneficial  manner. 
He  is  the  spiritual  physician  who  is  treating  hu- 
manity. 

Many  beautiful  and  touching  incidents  are  related 
In  the  East  of  the  way  in  which,  through  long  suffer- 
ing and  kindness,  he  has  won  the  hearts  of  those 
who,  because  of  their  prejudices,  formerly  were  his 

•  The  Bab  (meaning  the  door  or  gate),  Baha'o'llah 
(meaning  the  glory  of  God)  and  Abdul-Baha  (mean- 
ing the  servant  of  God),  are  titles  which  have  been 
applied  to  these  teachers  and  by  which  they  are  now 
known. 


enemies.  Caring  for  the  sick  and  protecting  the 
oppressed  form  a  large  part  of  his  daily  duties.  One 
of  the  titles  applied  to  him  in  the  Orient  is  "father 
of  the  poor." 

Abdul-Baha's  power  is  that  of  love.  In  going  into 
his  presence  something  within  one's  soul  seems  to 
respond  to  his  soul.  Thus  a  spiritual  bond  is  made 
wnich  is  most  far-reaching,  for  it  is  of  the  nature 
of  divine  love  and  always  remains  with  one. 
Through  his  life  and  example,  he  is  teaching  people 
the  life  and  the  way  of  The  Kingdom.  He  has  a 
message  for  every  one,  and  as  one  meets  and  con- 
tacts with  him  in  spirit  it  is  as  if  a  new  force  were 
added  to  one's  nature.  The  power  of  the  love  of 
God  is  brought  very  close  to  those  who  come  in 
contact  with  Abdul-Baha. 

TRUTH. 

The  Bahai  philosophy  is  simplicity  itself.  It  is 
expressed  in  this  short  quotation  from  one  of 
Baha'o'llah  writings,  *'The  root  of  all  knowledge  is 
the  knowledge  of  God."  Each  of  the  world's  great 
spiritual  teachers  has  taught  the  same  eternal  Truth, 
revealing  it  in  the  measure  and  in  terms  applicable 
to  the  people  of  his  time.  This  Truth  has  ever  been 
the  main  spring  and  source  of  human  advancement 
and  civilization. 

RELATION   OF  THE    BAHAI    MOVEMENT  TO   THE 
RELIGIONS  OF  THE   PAST. 

The  people  of  each  religion  look  for  the  coming  of 
a  prophet  or  teacher  who  will  fulfill  the  hopes  of  their 
own  teaching  and  establish  the  truth  in  the  world. 
The  Christians  look  for  the  coming  of  the  Christ 
(spirit),  and  the  establishment  of  Christ's  Kingdom; 
the  Jews  await  the  coming  of  their  Messiah,  and  (iod's 
Kingdom  on  earth;  the  Moslems  believe  thai  the 
Mahdi  will  come  and  prepare  the  way  for  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  and  The  Kingdom;  the  Zoroastrians  have 
prophecies  relating  to  the  coming  of  Shah  Bahrain, 
and  the  establishment  of  the  divine  order  of  things, 


all  of  which  are  foretold  in  their  holy  books;  the 
Hindus  believe  that  the  divine  spirit  Krishna  will 
speak  again  to  the  world  for  the  enlightenment  of 
the  people;  and  the  Buddhists  looks  for  the  coming 
of  the  great  Fifth  Buddha  whose  mission  will  be  that 
of  bringing  a  general  world-wide  spiritual  enlighten- 
ment. Now  in  the  coming  of  the  Bahai  teachers, 
and  the  movement  which  they  have  established,  the 
people  of  the  various  religions  find  the  fulfillment  of 
the  sacred  teachings  of  the  past,  and  also  the  solution 
of  the  great  latter  day  problem  of  religious  Unity. 
The  Bahai  teaching  confirms  and  completes  all  reli- 
gious teachings  which  have  gone  before,  and  offers  a 
practical  philosophy  which  meets  the  present  day 
spiritual  needs  of  humanity. 

The  Bahai   Writings. 

The  collective  writings  of  the  Bab  are  known  as 
The  Beyan.  These  treat  chiefly  of  the  coming  of 
Baha'o'llah.  containing  exhortations  to  the  people 
calling  them  to  purify  themselves  and  prepare  to 
meet  the  promised  one  that  they  might  be  fitted 
to  serve  him. 

Baha'o'llah  wrote  many  treatises  in  the  form  of 
books  and  epistles,  in  which  he  demonstrates  the 
oneness  of  the  spirit  of  all  of  the  former  religious 
teachings;  also  treating  of  the  present  teaching  in  its 
relations  to  the  religions  of  the  past.  Many  of  these 
writings  were  in  reply  to  special  questions  asked  by 
men  of  learning  and  were  therefore  written  from 
various  points  of  thought,  Moslem.  .Jewish,  Christian, 
etc. 

The  writings  of  Abdul-Baha  are  explanatory  of  the 
teachings  of  Baha'o'llah.  In  Abdul-Baha's  life  of 
service  is  his  method  of  teaching  rather  than  by  his 
pen. 

SOCIAL   REFORMS,   LAWS  AND  ORDINANCES. 

In  addition  to  the  purely  spiritual  teachings  of 
Baha'o'llah  he  ordered  certain  changes  in  the  man- 
ners and  customs  of  people,  through  the  observance 
of   which    the   world    in   general    will    l)e   helped    both 

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materially  and  spiritually.  He  advises  the  Bahais  to 
l)e  tolerant,  and  in  no  way  to  separate  themselves 
from  other  people,  nor  denounce  those  of  other  be- 
liefs. All  men  are  free  to  believe  as  they  wish,  but 
all  are  exhorted  to  unite  in  faith  and  to  lay  aside  the 
prejudices  and  superstitions  of  past  ages.  Warfare 
should  be  abolished  and  international  questions 
settled  by  arbitration.  A  universal  language  is  fav- 
ored as  a  means  of  bringing  people  together  in  unity. 
Legislation  should  l)e  representative.  The  Bahais 
should  be  peaceful  and  law-abiding  citizens.  Their 
thought  should  be  humanitarian  before  all  else. 
Faith  without  works  is  not  acceptable.  One's  wor- 
ship should  be  supplemented  by  a  pure  and  useful 
life  in  the  world.  Men  and  women  should  marry. 
Asceticism  is  discouraged.  Monogamy  is  taught. 
Harshness  and  hatred  are  to  be  overcome  by  gentle- 
ness and  love.  Man  should  not  use  intoxicants  as  a 
beverage.  Opium  and  kindred  drug  habits  are  de- 
nounced, as  is  also  gambling. 

The  business  affairs  of  the  Bahai  Movement  are 
conducted  by  assemblies  of  consultation.  Eventually 
there  will  be  a  general  assembly  of  consultation  com- 
posed of  representatives  from  all  parts  of  the  world. 
This  will  be  known  as  "'The  Universal  House  of 
.Justice." 

Baha'o'llah  forbade  mendicity,  slavery,  cruelty  to 
animals  and  many  other  abuses  which  our  western 
civilization  has  already  remedied,  so  it  is  hardly  nec- 
essary here  to  mention  them.  The  following  of  these 
ordinances  is  already  producing  its  good  effect  in 
the  many  Bahai  centers  throughout  the  world,  and 
good  fruits  are  coming  therefrom. 


Mashrak-EI-Azkar. 

In  this  cause  there  is  no  priesthood  nor  clergy. 
Each  soul  approaches  God  in  prayer  without  sacred 
rite  nor  ceremony.  Temples  open  to  all  people  of  all 
religions  are  to  be  provided  for  reading,  meditation 
and  prayer.     These  are  to  be  surrounded  by  hospices. 


hospitals,  asylums,  schools,  universities,  etc.,  the 
whole  group  of  buildings  to  be  known  as  a  "Mashrak 
El-Azkar"  which  literally  means  "The  dawning  point 
of  the  mentions  of  God."  In  these  institutions  is 
symbolized  both  the  spiritual  worship  and  the 
humanitarian  service  as  taught  by  Baha'o'Uan. 

Xot  long  since  in  the  city  of  Echkabad  in  Russian 
TurKistan  a  Mashrak-El-Azkar  was  built.  At  present 
the  Bahais  throughout  the  world  are  uniting  in  the 
work  of  building  the  first  Mashrak-El-Azkar  in 
America,  which  is  to  be  erected  near  the  city  of 
Chicago. 


The  Need  of  the  Times. 

In  this  day  the  creeds  and  the  dogmas  of  the  past 
have  lost  their  spiritual  power,  and  the  world  is 
reaching  out  for  a  religion  which  will  be  a  living 
spiritual  factor  in  the  life  of  humanity.  This  demand 
is  being  supplied  by  the  Bahai  movement.  This  is  a 
cause  the  institutions  of  which  are  not  founded  upon 
the  popular  thought  of  the  day,  but  rather  being 
above  and  beyond  the  natural  trend  of  human  thought 
they  are  leading  and  forming  within  the  souls  of 
men  higher  ideals,  thought  and  actions,  and  are  the 
beginning  of  a  higher  and  a  greater  civilization  than 
the  world  has  ever  seen. 

Oriental-Occidental  Unity. 

One  of  the  greatest  obstacles  to  overcome  before 
universal  Brotherhood  and  Peace  can  come  is  the 
natural  lack  of  confidence  and  understanding  between 
the  Oriental  and  Occidental  peoples.  The  Orient  has 
been  the  source  of  the  world's  inspiration,  while  in 
the  Occident  has  appeared  the  fruition  of  this  in- 
spiration in  the  form  of  a  highly  evolved  civilization. 
Through  the  Bahai  teachings  this  chasm  between  the 
East  and  the  West  is  bridged,  and  for  the  first  time 
in  history  Oriental  and  Occidental  are  meeting  on  a 
common  ground  of  sympathy,  understanding  and 
brotherhood. 

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Peace. 

Religious  differences  have  been  the  chief  cause  of 
warfare,  while  religious  sympathy  and  understanding 
have  always  made  for  peace  and  prosperity.  Prior  to 
the  beginning  of  the  Bahai  Movement,  nothing  was 
being  taught  nor  written  about  Peace,  Arbitration, 
universal  Language,  Suffrage  nor  any  other  universal 
institution.  During  the  past  half  century,  however, 
the  world  has  awakened  to  the  necessity  for  all  of 
these  institutions,  and  now  the  most  enlightened 
people  are  realizing  that  the  lack  of  spiritual  or  re- 
ligious understanding,  with  the  accompanying  lack 
of  moral  perception,  is  the  real  cause  of  all  human 
ills.  While  Baha'o'llah's  teaching  was  ahead  of  the 
world  of  his  day,  the  world  of  today  is  realizing  the 
value  of  that  teaching.  The  supply  and  the  demand 
are  now  meeting,  from  which  harmony  and  peace 
will  result. 

Science  and   Religion. 

The  imaginations  and  superstitions  of  the  religious 
systems  of  the  past,  are  against  common  sense  and 
science,  for  these  are  but  the  thoughts  of  men  of  past 
ages.  The  Universal  basic  spiritual  truths  of  the 
many  religions  are,  upon  the  contrary,  most  scientific. 
When  men  understand  the  true  principles  of  religion 
no  conflict  will  be  found  between  them  and  the 
material  sciences. 


Education. 

Through  a  broad  and  liberal  education  along 
material  lines,  balanced  by  a  knowledge  of  man's 
moral  and  spiritual  duties,  the  Bahais  believe  that 
the  superstitions  of  the  past  will  disappear  and  with 
them  the  prejudice  and  ignorance  which  have  always 
made  for  man's  limitation.  The  Bahai  Movement 
stands  strongly  for  the  freedom  and  education  of 
woman,  even  going  so  far  as  to  teach  that  it  is  more 
necessary  for  parents  to  educate  their  girls,  than 
their  boys.  Women  being  the  mothers  and  the  chief 
teachers  of  the  race,  it  is  more  necessary  that  they 
be  educated  than  men. 

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Economic  Questions. 

Cooperation  is  the  basic  principle  upon  which  all 
institutions  should  be  founded.  The  cooperation  of 
■all  for  the  good  of  all.  Laws  should  be  so  regulated 
that  it  will  be  impossible  for  one  man  to  enrich  him- 
self at  the  expense  of  another.  Through  the  proper 
adjustment  of  political  and  commercial  relations  be- 
tween individuals  and  nations  all  will  live  in  har- 
mony, happiness  and  in  plenty. 

Evolution  of  Man. 

According-  to  the  Bahai  teaching  spirit  or  life  force 
Is  of  five  kinds:  Vegetable,  animal,  human,  the 
divinely  spiritual  life  of  the  soul,  and  the  Infinite 
uuKUowable  spirit  of  God.  Man  was  created  man, 
a  species  apart  and  above  the  vegetable  and  animal 
conditions.  Through  the  spiritual  influences  of  the 
prophets  man  becomes  characterized  by  the  divinely 
spiritual  qualities,  and  adds  to  his  human  nature  the 
spiritual  nature. 


Growth  of  the  Movement. 

The  movement  under  The  Rab  was  practically  con- 
fined to  the  Islamic  countries.  During  the  ministry 
of  Baha'o'llah  the  message  was  taken  to  various 
other  countries  of  the  Orient  and  now  has  spread  ■ 
the  world  around.  There  are  not  only  centers  of 
Bahai  teaching  in  China,  .Japan,  Burma,  India,  Persia. 
Turkistan,  Caucasia,  the  Turkish  countries  and  in 
Egy])t,  but  there  are  strong  Bahai  centers  in  France, 
uerm.any,  England  and  througnout  the  United  States 
and  Canada.  This  growth  has  been  a  comparatively 
slow  one.  It  is  not  limited  by  religious  nor  racial 
conditions,  which  is  proven  by  the  many  heterogene- 
ous elements  which  this  cause  is  assimilating  and 
fusing  into  one  element,  which  is  the  world  type  of 
man. 


The  Method  of  Teaching. 

The  teaching  is  given  without  money  and  without 
price.     Teachers    are    self    supporting,    giving    their 

12 


time  and  services,  the  recompense  for  which  is  the 
joy  and  satisfaction  of  serving  in  the  cause  of  Truth. 
Teaching  consists  of  first  living  the  principles  of  the 
cause  in  one's  inner  life  and  then  speaking  to  others. 
All  are  teachers  each  in  his  own  sphere.  The  Bahais 
in  no  way  form  a  close  sect  or  cult.  They  do  not 
separate  themselves  from  other  people.  Their  work 
is  ever  out-ward  and  in  the  world  where  they  are 
diffusing  spiritual   knowledge  and  serving  humanity. 


Results. 

The  universal  principles  of  Truth  which  the  Bahai 
Movement  is  teaching  are  already  clearly  seen  in  the 
way  in  which  this  teaching  appeals  to  people  of  all 
religions,  races,  and  nationalities.  The  moment  that 
a  soul  becomes  touched  by  the  Bahai  Spirit  he  be- 
comes a  citizen  of  the  world,  quite  freed  from  the 
limitations  of  his  former  environment,  while  his 
social  and  religious  prejudices  are  changed  into  a 
desire  to  do  something  toward  world  brotherhood 
through  tangible  service  to  his  fellow  men.  In  the 
Bahai  Meetings— notably  those  in  the  East— one  sees 
Christians,  .Tews.  Moslems,  Zoroastrians,  Hindus  and 
Buddhists  mingling  as  brothers  and  eating  at  the 
same  tables.  It  has  been  the  writer's  privilege  to 
travel  extensively  and  to  attend  many  such  reunions. 
He  has  spent  much  time  in  the  Oriental  countries 
and  has  seen  the  spiritual  blending  of  the  Orient  and 
Occident,  which  process  is  being  brought  about  by 
the  love  and  devotion  of  the  Bahais  one  for  another. 
These  people  are  really  demonstrating  the  power  of 
divine  love,  for  with  them  it  is  so  powerful  as  to 
overcome  all  religious  and  racial  antipathy  and  is 
producing  real  brotherhood  and  Peace. 


13 


DATE  DUE 

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The  Mashrak-El-Azkar 

Bv    Chas.    Mason    Remev. 

Comprising— Quotations  from 
Abdul  Baha's  words — An  his- 
torical sketch  of  the  Bahai 
Movement — A  general  explana- 
tion of  the  Mashrak-El-Azkar 
(Bahai  Temple) — A  description 
of  the  Mashrak-El-Azkar  in 
Eshkhabad  in  Russian  Turkistan 
and — An  account  of  the  pre- 
paratory^ work  for  building  the 
first  Mashrak-E  1  -  A  z  k  a  r  in 
America,  with  descriptions  and 
illustrations  of  an  exhibit  of 
nine  preliminary  designs  for 
this  building,  showing  various 
treatments  in  different  styles  of 
architecture. 

This  book  contains  a  portrait 
of  Abdul  Baha  and  nineteen 
architectural   illustrations. 

A  large  volume,  bound  in  cloth, 
$1.00. 

Postage — additional. 


This  book  weighs  2  pounds.  For 
postage,  see  parcel  post  rate  between 
your  town  and  Chicago. 


BP375.R3B16 

The  Bahai  movement  for  universal 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  00010  3830 


